Jeld-Wen Inc., Oregon’s largest privately held company, has appointed a new president from Onex Corp., the Canadian company preparing to take control of the troubled Klamath Falls-based window and door maker.

Philip Orsino, former
president of Masonite International Corp., has stepped in as president,
replacing Rod Wendt, who remains as chief executive.

Managers of Onex, a Toronto-based private-equity firm,
had said previously Orsino would become Jeld-Wen president when the $864 million deal
closed. But Jeld-Wen now says Orsino is already stepping in, taking over day-to-day operations of Jeld-Wen's business.

"Jeld-Wen decided not to wait for the closing of the transaction," a Jeld-Wen release said, "and
instead appointed Orsino ahead of schedule so that he could immediately
participate in key initiatives."

At last report, Wendt was leading a road show trying to sell $575
million in junk bonds necessary for completion of the deal, which was also
awaiting review by European antitrust authorities.

Jeld-Wen, hit by the housing market’s plunge, is laboring under $1.2
billion in debt. The company had $3 billion in revenue last year, with 20,000
employees worldwide, including 2,500 in Oregon.

Initially in a deal announced in May, Jeld-Wen manager planned to maintain
control of the company, with Onex investing $675 million. But earlier this month
Onex announced it would up its investment and take a 58 percent stake in the
company co-founded by Wendt’s late father, Dick Wendt.